Spring sash balance



A. H. KERs-nNc;

SPRING SASH BALANCE med sept. :5o. 192s Patented oct. 29, 1929 A UNITED. STATES ALBERT HERMAN KEBSTING, '0F GLENDALE, CALIFRNIA SPRING SASH BALANCE Application led September 30, 1926. Serial No. 138,605.

My invention relates to a sash balance of the type whereln a coiled spring is arranged wlthin and connected to a drum for imparting rotary movement thereto in one direction construction of the existing forms of spring sash balances, to combine with the sash balance suitable means, preferably adjustable, for producing a certain degree of friction upon the window sash with which the spring 5 balance is associated, which friction producl ing means acts as a brake or retardiug element to prevent a too free movement ofthe sash as it is raised or lowered, and further, to provide a device of the character referred to that is relatively simple lin construction,

inexpensive of manufacture, and capable of being readily installed.

lVith the foregoing and other objects'in 5 view, my imention'consists incertain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts that will'hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, 1n whlch- Fig.-1 is a vertical section taken through- 0 the center of 'a spring sash balance of my im proved construction and showing the same associated with a window frame and sash.

Fig. 2 is an elevational View of a portion of' a window frame and showing my improved sash balance positioned therein.l f

Fig. 3 is a detail elevational View, partly in section, o f the lower corner of a window` sash and showing a modified form ofthe 'friction producing means that is associated y with the spring sash balance.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawing which illustrates a practical embodiment ofmy invention, 10 designates a face plate, preferably of metal, that is secured in any suitable manner, preferably by means of screws 11, to the face of the jamb 12 of a window frame, and formed in said jamb'to the rear of the face plate is-an open# ing or morticc 13 that is occupied by a housing 14. This housing is preferably stamped or pressed from sheet metal and one side thereof is suitably secured to the face plate 10.

Secured to the side walls of housing 14 are the ends of a centrally arranged pin 16 and mounted for rotation thereon and positioned within the housing 14 isa hollow drum 17. The inner end of a coiled spring 18 similar to a clock spring is secured to pin 16 and the outer end of said spring is secured to the circumferential wall of drum '17.

Secured to the outer face of the peripheral wall of drum 17 is the inner end of a coil of metal tape 19 and the outer end of this' tape passes through ,a slot or opening 2O that is .formed in face plate 10 and the end of said steel tape is'secured in any suitable manner to the lower window sash.

In order that the window sash may have smooth, even movement when raised or lowered, it is desirable that there be associated with the spring balance some form of yielding pressure means that acts directly on the sash for `producing a certain degree of frictional resistance and to accomplish this re- `sult, I propose to arrange between the stile portion of the stile 2l of the of the sash and the jamb of the frame a resilient member, preferably a flat spring 22 that is secured in any'suitable manner to the face plate 10 and the intermediate portion of which spring is bowed outwardly so as to frictionally engage the corresponding face of the stile. 4

This fiat spring extends downward direct-y ly in front of theface plate and the lower portion of said spring is preferably bifurcatedfor theaccommodation of that portion of the tape 19 that passes downwardly from the opening 20.` The lower portion of the friction producing member 22 may bear on the lower portion of the face plate 104 as illustrated in Fig. 1, or said lower portion may hear on the adjacent face of the stile 21 (see dotted lines Fig., 1).

Under normal conditions, or `before the window sash is placed in the frame, friction producing member 22 projects outwardly from the jamb at a decided angle relative to a vertical plane and when the sash is placed in the frame with the stile adjacent to the sov jamb, the friction producing member will be forced inwardly toward the jamb so that the central portion of the member 22 bears with a considerable degree of friction on the face 5 of the stile, and as a result said member 22 vfunctions as africtional brake to restrain the window against moving too freely while being raised or lowered.

It will be understood that when the lower v sash is closed, the tape 19 is practically all plishing this result and which arrangement comprises a screw 23 that is seated in the face plate 10 beneath the spring, which screw bears against the inner face of spring 22. 25 Obviously by adjusting screw 23 in the face plate, the degree of friction produced by the spring may be varied. Screw 23 is adjusted bythe insertion of the point of a screwdriver through an aperture in the spring and which aperture is smaller than the head of the screw. It will be noted that the resilient member 22 is directly connected to and positioned immediately in front of the face plate lOof the spring balance housing and thus said resilient member performs the functions of a combined face plate and frictional contactmember. An especially desirable feature ofy this particular construction is that the work incident to the installation of the fixture in the window frame is facilitated and, further, the face plate 10 of the/spring balance provides a firm and substantial support or bearing for thevresilient friction producing member, as well as for the screw 23 that is utilized for controlling or regulating the -tension or degree of friction produced by said resilient Y member. j

In Fig. ,3 I have illustrated `a modied form of the friction producing means between the sash and window frame and which means includes a flat spring 24 having a bowed intermediate portlon 25 and a horizontally disposed lower end portion 26. The upper end of this spring is secured in any P5 relatively simple, convenient and inexpensive suitable manner to the lower end of the steel 1,73sfcee arrangement whereby a variable f friction braking element is combined with a sash balance and which combination enables the equipped sash to be freely raised and lowered witha relatively smooth movement and said sash will be firmly held at any adjusted position. a

It will understood that `minor changes vin the size, form and construction of the various parts of my improved spring sash may be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a spring sash balance, a flat spring, means for securing one end of said spring to a window frame above the spring balance therein, the intermediate portion of which fiat spring is bowed outwardly for contact with the sash operating in the frame, the lower end of said iiat spring being bifurcated for the reception of the iexible member that connects the sash to the spring balance and there being a tool-receiving aperture formed in said spring intermediate its ends.

'2. In a spring sash balance, a fiat spring,

means for securing one'end of said spring to a window frame above the spring'balance therein, the intermediate portion of which flat spring is bowed outwardly for contact with the sash operating in the frame, the lower end of said at spring being bifurcated for the reception of the iexible member that connects the sash to the spring balance said spring being provided intermediate its ends with a tool-receiving opening and the lower portion of said fiat spring being bent inwardly for engagement with the window frame below the spring balance therein.

3. In a spring sash balance, a flat spring,

means for securing one end of said spring to a window frame above the spring balance therein, the intermediate portion of which fiat spring is bowed outwardly for contact with the sash operating in the frame, the lower end of said flat spring being bifurcated for the reception of the exible member that connects the sash to the spring balance, and

means adjnstably arranged beneath the upper portion of the spring for regulating the degree of frictional engagement between said spring and sash.

4. In a spring sash balance, a flat spring, means for securing one end of said spring to a window frame above the spring balance therein, the intermediate portion of which fiat spring is bowed outwardlv for contact with the sash operating in the frame, the lower end of said flat spring being bifurcated for the reception of the flexible member that connects the sash to the spring balance, means adjustably arranged-beneath the upper portion of the spring for regulating the degree of frictional engagement between said spring mageos and-sSh, und said flat spring be' provided with an a rture for the accomm tool used 1n the manipulation of said adjustable means.

5. A device of the class described oomrising a flat bow spring, one` end of which f on the window frame to whlch the spring is applied. v

In testimony whereof I ax ml si ature. ALBERT HERMAN 4KE S ING.

ation of a 

